INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The European Union (EU) has reiterated its concerns about schools and universities being closed to teenage girls and women and said girls&
education is crucial for Afghanistan&s long-term stability and prosperity.The EU&s office in Afghanistan said in a post on its website
Sunday that educated women, with their vital skills and knowledge, are the architects of a stronger, more stable and economically
independent country, and the EU supports their right to education.This comes after schools reopened after the winter break four days ago
However, schools for girls above grade 6 remained closed & for the 4th year.Other organizations also called this week for the lifting of the
ban on girls& education.Marking the start of the 1404 academic year in Afghanistan, Amnesty International called on the Islamic Emirate to
reopen schools to all girls & no matter their age.According to a statement issued by the organization, Amnesty International appealed to the
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to stop &continuing discriminatory programs against Afghan women and girls.&Amnesty International
stated: &The academic year has begun in Afghanistan, but girls above the sixth grade are deprived of education
This is unjustifiable and a violation of the fundamental human right to education.&The Taliban (Islamic Emirate) must allow girls of all
ages to go to school and stop using any excuse to advance the discriminatory program,& the statement read.The United Nations Children&s Fund
(UNICEF) announced recently that with the start of the new school year in Afghanistan, another 400,000 girls will be deprived of education,
bringing the total number of girls who are not allowed to attend secondary and high schools to 2.2 million.The post EU says girls& education
crucial for Afghanistan&s long-term prosperity first appeared on Ariana News.
